I went into preterm labor, during a pandemic.
At 30 weeks pregnant, many women are dreaming of the weeks to come, preparing a nursery and stocking up on diapers. Much of which I was doing. The last thing on your mind at 30 weeks is your water breaking. PPROM {preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes} happens only 3% of the time.
And here I was one of those women… in preterm labor during a pandemic!
Admitted alone
On May 3, 2020, sitting on the couch with my now 3-year-old son, I felt it. A small gush of liquid that I distinctly remember happening three years ago during my son’s birth. In shock, I frantically packed an overnight bag {just in case} and we headed to the hospital, my son napping in the car. When we arrived, reality sets in. Hospitals are locked down and there are no visitors. It's a pandemic and I might be in preterm labor. I'm sent to Labor and Delivery - alone.
Still believing this is just a false alarm, I’m tested for amniotic fluid and to my surprise the test comes back positive. I’m quickly admitted and told I will be staying in the hospital until I deliver because of the risk of infection. My tears are start flowing and that’s when I realized, I’ll be doing this alone. I’m given shots to develop my daughter’s lungs along with medicine to slow labor and antibiotics to prevent infection. For the first 48 hours, I’m continuously hooked up to a fetal and contraction monitor, blood pressure cuff and IV. Luckily, my contractions stop, and I’m moved to the Mother and Baby Unit.
The wait
Once settled into my room, I calm down. I’m left alone for the first time in days and told to try to get some sleep, something I have not done in nearly 55 hours. I am still hooked up to an IV and monitored for contractions for 20 minutes every 12 hours. Our goal, prominently written on the hospital dry erase board, ‘stay pregnant.’ A baby born after 24 weeks has a strong chance of survival. For every week after that, likelihood of survival increases and the baby is further developed. At 30 weeks, I was assured that Sawyer would survive, but for every day I could keep her in would reduce her NICU stay by 2 days. At 34 weeks, she would be considered developed enough to deliver and I would be induced. Little did I know, I still wouldn’t make it that far.
Overwhelming support
The overnight bag I had quickly packed on my way out the door, was grossly underwhelming. I hadn't really thought I would be in preterm labor during a pandemic - let alone giving birth! - nor had I thought about the visitor restrictions. I had only prepared for one night and in my haste packed my son’s excessively fruity toothpaste instead of my own. When in the hospital, you long to feel a sense of normalcy, so I was in desperate need for my own clothes. Thankfully, my husband was allowed to drop off a bag at the front desk for me. He did surprisingly well packing for me, even including my favorite blanket, a note of encouragement, and a few snacks tucked away {because, let’s be honest, hospital food gets old fast!}. We soon learned that not only was family allowed to drop off clothes, but also meals and even Amazon packages. Though I was alone, I felt more love and support than I ever could have imagined. Family would bring dinner and packages would arrive from theCityMoms almost daily with crafts, books, and comfort items. The nurses even brought in a deck of cards and Sudoku to help me pass the time. I watched a lot of Netflix and Hallmark channel, journaled, and even taught myself calligraphy {thanks, Hoopla Letters!}.
In the hospital, I celebrated Mother’s Day {heartbreakingly away from my son}, our 7th wedding anniversary, and my 29th birthday- all alone. Thankfully Facetime made all the difference. On a few occasions, family parked outside my hospital window so I could see them. The evening before I went into labor {for real this time} I shared Chick-fil-a with my mom and son through that window. I climbed up onto the windowsill, while they sat on the sidewalk having a picnic. The nurse came in and caught me perched up in the window. I thought she might be upset with me, but instead she just laughed and sat with me. These nurses are amazing men and women. They came to work knowing the risks of COVID and did everything to help and support their patients.
Preterm labor pandemic - theCityMoms
Preterm delivery or preterm labor during a pandemic?
Around 8:30 a.m. on May 19, roughly three weeks after being admitted, preterm labor began again. My contractions were weak at first, and I began my day as I always did, showering and brushing my teeth, knowing what was coming. At 9am my nurse came in to hook me up to the monitors as she did every morning. I tell her I’m having contractions and she immediately sees them on the monitor, teasing me for not calling her in the room sooner when I first felt them. Moments later, they brought in a wheelchair and move me back over to a Labor and Delivery room.
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My contractions were about four minutes apart, increasing in intensity, but they still would not allow my husband to come up. Though visitors were not allowed at the hospital due to the pandemic, thankfully they did allow partners to be there for their child’s birth. However, they were not permitted until the mom is in active labor. For some reason they were not convinced I was in active labor yet. For nearly 5 hours, I labored alone. My husband waited anxiously in the parking lot for them to allow him in. Finally, when contractions are two minutes apart, he was allowed to join me.
After 16 hours of labor, I made little progress. They do not check for dilation when you are laboring after PPROM to reduce the risk in infection. I started to notice that my daughter’s heart rate would drop during every contraction. This can be common just before delivery, so they finally they checked my cervix and realized that her umbilical cord has fallen beneath her head. They tried to move the cord out of the way, but realized her foot is wedged above her head as well. The mood in the room changed quickly.
Within minutes, I was wearing an oxygen mask and being rushed to the OR for a c-section. At 12:35 a.m. on May 20, 2020 Sawyer Kay was born weighing just 4 pounds 3 ounces at exactly 33 weeks gestation. A team of NICU nurses were there, monitoring her immediately. After a few minutes, Sawyer was taken out of the room; I only caught a glimpse of her. My husband followed her to the NICU and I’m again alone as the c-section is completed.
Finally we meet
Later that afternoon, after what felt like days, the nurses took me to the NICU to officially meet and hold my daughter. At this point she is over 12 hours old. For the first 24 hours, she needed an apnea machine to help regulate her breathing. Thankfully, her lungs were fully developed, and she was able to breathe on her own quickly.
Recovering from a c-section was harder than expected {that’s a story in and of itself}, but I was thankful to be released from the hospital just 24 hours after delivery. After three weeks in the hospital, going home was such a bittersweet feeling. Though my hospital journey was finally over, Sawyer’s was just beginning. I would return every day to the NICU until my daughter was strong enough to come home as well.
NICU life
Due to the pandemic, the NICU has its own set of restrictions. Thankfully my husband and I were both allowed to visit, just not at the same time. I spent most of my time in the NICU. Of course, visitors are not permitted, so her big brother and family were unable to meet her for some time.
In the NICU, there are several milestones each baby has to meet in order to go home. Breathing on their own is of course the first, followed by regulating their own temperate and orally feeding on their own. All of which is easier said than done. I expected to be in the NICU until my due date {that's seven more weeks}. But Sawyer was doing well and graduated from the NICU after only three weeks.
A note to expecting mommas
You are stronger than you know. Being in preterm labor during pandemic may not be what I pictured my pregnancy and delivery to look like, but we are okay. To moms affected by preterm labor, take each day one at a time. To moms giving birth during the pandemic, I see you and understand the loss you are feeling. Our experiences are going to be different, and not ideal, but they will be perfectly beautiful.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kristi Chambers is a Muncie native, performing arts marketer and mom of 2. She is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast driven by faith. As the Director of theCityMoms’ Muncie chapter, she is excited to bring theCityMoms to her hometown, showcasing all that Muncie has to offer by bringing local moms together. Find Kristi at muncie@thecitymoms.org.